Favor
by FidgetGlitterBlossom
Summary: On the cusp of her tenth birthday, Sofia sets out on a mission. Her task is made more difficult when she realizes she will have to face it alone, using magic she likely has no business toying with. Can she cast the spell on her own? And what consequences will her meddling bring to those she loves?
1. Rejection

Sofia paced the great room, waiting anxiously for an answer. For the last year she had thrown herself completely into her magic studies, practising night and day, all to bring her to this point. The door opened and she turned her head expectantly, only for disappointment to settle in as she spotted the old sorcerer's expression.

"I know this means a great deal to you, and your intentions are quite noble, but time magic is an extremely difficult thing, and we few in the sorcery community who use it guard our secrets very carefully." He hadn't exactly said 'no', yet, but Sofia knew that's where he was heading.

"Please, Merlin, I've worked so hard to get here. I need to do this. For him."

Sofia was not much of a begger. Sure, she would plead and cajole with Cedric in order to get her way, but it was always lightheartedly, and her complicated friendship with her mentor was the exception to a great many rules.

"You're simply not ready, Princess. No one so young as you has ever even attempted these spells." He hung his head, sorry that he had to disappoint the girl this way.

Sofia sighed.

"Thank you for seeing me, Merlin", she mumbled, letting herself out of the sorcerer's home before she had to suffer the embarrassment of crying in front of him.

She hurried down the path before veering off into the woods, running blindly through the trees, finally dropping to the ground and allowing the sobs to wrack her body. She felt like she cried alone amongst the trees for hours, but she doubted it was really that long, before the familiar green cloud of her mentor appeared in front of her. Sofia scrambled to her feet and did her best to collect her emotions as Cedric materialised.

"Sofia?" Cedric asked in astonishment, unnerved to find his apprentice in such a state.

Though she had dried her eyes, they were still red-rimmed and puffy, with streaks cutting through the powder of her cheeks. The skirt she was trying in vain to smooth was filthy, as were her shoes.

"What–" Sofia began, but her voice was a hiccoughed squeak. She took a deep breath and tried again. "What are you doing here?" she asked, genuinely surprised to see him.

"You are extremely late for your lesson", he pointed out.

When she looked down at her feet contritely, he let out a breath and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I was concerned", Cedric added gently, not wanting Sofia to think he'd merely sought her out to scold her.

She blinked up at him tearfully, then wrapped her arms around him. The sorcerer allowed her a minute, then pried himself out of her grip.

"I came to request a favour from Merlin, but he turned me away", Sofia confessed.

Cedric studied her closely, wondering if she would volunteer more information. He frowned slightly when she wasn't forthcoming with the details, but knew her well enough to guess she had her reasons.

"What do you say we take the day off?" Cedric offered, moving his hand to the girl's back and nudging her forward.

Sofia shook her head, not wanting to miss out on her time with the sorcerer.

"I'm alright, and my day is clear. I can–" she began to protest.

"I know a spot near here. We could simply take it easy, maybe have one of those blasted picnics you like so much..." he interrupted her to explain, surprising Sofia with the suggestion.

She grinned, the first time Cedric had seen her look happy since he found her, and he felt muscles relax that he hadn't known were tense.

"That sounds lovely, Mr Cedric", Sofia gratefully agreed.

She took his hand, pleased to find that he accepted instead of shaking out of her grip.

Walking through the woods with the sorcerer, she soon found herself led to a beautiful clearing with a deep stream.

"Would you care to do the honours, Sofia?" Cedric drawled, gesturing towards a spot on the ground.

Sofia took a deep breath and called her wand to her hand, then conjured a large picnic blanket, two plates, and a tea set.

"That will do nicely." Cedric nodded his approval, then used his own magic to make the picnic treats appear, enchanted food still slightly beyond Sofia's level, though she had excelled in her studies lately.

They sat to enjoy lunch together, the meal punctuated with friendly conversation. Cedric magically poured them both a second cup of tea, then leaned back, enjoying the peaceful murmur of the stream. Sofia looked her mentor over as he sat with his eyes partly closed, as relaxed as she'd ever seen him. When her gaze fell to his gloved hands, her curiosity prompted her to disturb the stillness.

"Why do you always wear your gloves?" she questioned, reaching over and gingerly tracing the black fabric with her index finger.

Cedric watched her from the corner of his eye, but made no move to stop her.

"Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?" he countered.

Sofia giggled and shrugged her shoulders. "I know what they do, not why you believe you need them", she pointed out, retracting her touch to fold her hands in her lap.

Cedric didn't answer right away, instead mulling over how he should respond to that.

"As usual, you think me far more capable than I truly am", he finally settled on.

Sofia shook her head. "I only see the truth. I wish you could see it, too", she stated simply.

Standing and removing her shoes, she walked towards the stream.

"What are you doing?" Cedric enquired, sitting upright again.

"The water is beautiful. I feel like putting my feet in", she answered casually, not seeing the way Cedric shook his head at her.

"Suit yourself", he muttered, leaning back on the blanket and closing his eyes.

Her mischievous giggling should have tipped him off that she was up to no good, but he paid it no mind, and the large magical splash caught him off guard.

"Sofia!" he roared out in surprise, standing to shake himself off.

His apprentice was doubled over in laughter, and he shot her the most reproachful stare he could muster while shrugging off his sopping wet robe.

He muttered something Sofia couldn't make out as he kicked his own shoes off and advanced towards her.

"What was that?" she enquired, straightening up as he stopped in front of her.

"I said 'Can mermaids swim in fresh water?" Cedric repeated clearly.

As Sofia scrambled to think if they could, he lifted her up and dropped her into the stream, smirking as the amulet activated in her defence, emitting a bright pink glow beneath the water.

Sofia's braceleted arm popped up from under the surface, and before Cedric could retreat, she had lassoed him, using the magical rope to drag him into the stream with her.

"No fair using that... that thing on me, Sofia!" Cedric spat out after he stopped floundering.

"And it was fair to throw me in the water? I could have drowned!" she shot back in disbelief, though she wasn't at all angry with him. Meeting his sceptical gaze, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe not drowned... But I really didn't know about freshwater, and..." she continued, stopping when something dawned on her. "How did you know I would turn into a mermaid?" Sofia pressed, eyeing the sorcerer suspiciously.

"I-I saw you do it once." Cedric admitted, guilt causing his cheeks to burn.

Sofia decided against pushing him for more details, choosing to send another splash of water in his direction instead.

"You little..." Cedric began as she giggled and swam off.

He followed after her, sending his own surges of water, though she mostly dove beneath the surface to dodge them.

They spent the afternoon in this fashion until the sun dropped dangerously low in the sky, alerting them that Sofia would be expected home soon.

Climbing out of the stream, Cedric shook out his shaggy hair, then shot a glance at Sofia.

"Turn around, girl. Give me some privacy", he demanded gruffly.

The princess dutifully complied, and he rolled his soaked tunic up, pulling it over his head.

Sofia's gasp alerted him to the fact that she had peeked.

He shot a glare over his shoulder and moved to put the wet garment back on, but she turned again.

He sat down in the grass and spread his top out to dry.

Sofia sat down nearby with her back to him. "I didn't know you had tattoos", she chirped, blushing at the memory of the view she'd managed to steal.

"That's because it's none of your business, Sofia", Cedric spat out sternly, shaking his head as he stared at his apprentice's back.

"I'm sorry", she said quickly, sounding contrite enough for him to let the matter pass.

There was a silence in the clearing as both of them got lost in their thoughts.

"They're binding spells. They serve a similar purpose to the gloves", he finally explained.

When Sofia swivelled her head in astonishment, he narrowed his eyes at her, and she quickly faced forward again.

"It's strange", Sofia murmured.

Cedric gave a 'hmm?' and she continued.

"You crave respect for your magic, yet you go to such lengths to hinder its use", she mused.

Cedric scoffed. "I'm not 'hindering' it, I'm controlling it", he answered, rubbing his hands against his wet trousers in an attempt to warm his legs.

"Do other sorcerers have so much trouble controlling their powers?" Sofia questioned, though Cedric was certain she already knew.

"You're doing it again", he pointed out quietly.

"I suppose I am", she replied simply.

She spun herself around to face him, and Cedric was about to scold her, but the expression on her face gave him pause.

"Did it ever occur to you that they can control their magic easier than you can not because they are better than you, but because they are less powerful?" Sofia demanded, crossing her arms defiantly.

Cedric's mouth opened and closed as he fumbled for a reply. Of course, it hadn't occurred to him. The thought was absurd. Yet here he was, entertaining Sofia's theory.

"Don't be ridiculous. And for the gods' sakes, Sofia, turn around! If the King could see us right now, he'd have my head!"

Sofia rolled her eyes, but did as she was told. "There's nothing ridiculous about it. Greylock, Merlin, Grimtrix..." Her voice wavered on the last name, and she gave a visible shudder.

Cedric frowned and reached out to pat her shoulder, knowing she was still dealing with fears of the sorcerer who had nearly taken over the kingdoms.

She steadied herself, placing her hand over his and hazarding an appreciative glance at him. "Your mom and dad... None of them need gloves and tattoos to contain their power, because unlike you, they're not positively bursting with it", she pressed, outlining her suspicions.

Cedric pulled his hand back and studied his apprentice as he allowed these words to sink in. Running a gloved hand roughly through his two-coloured hair, he gave a groan as his confusion grew. Finally, he decided it was time to change the subject so he wouldn't dwell on the conflicting thoughts any longer.

"What did you ask Merlin for?", he asked Sofia's back.

She sighed and shook her head, drawing her legs up to her chest. "It doesn't matter. He'll never allow it. Maybe he would have in the future, had I not showed my hand today, but there's no helping it now", she grumbled, picking at a patch of grass near her feet.

Cedric pondered her non answer. "If you won't tell me what you were after, then all I can say is that there's more than one way to scale a dragon. I'm sure a persistent girl like you will find a way", he offered.

Sofia swung herself around again and lunged towards him, throwing her arms around his neck despite his stammered protests. "Thank you, Mr Cedric! You're absolutely right!" she managed to exclaim before Cedric shoved her off and retrieved his tunic.

He tugged the damp fabric over his head and stomped off in the direction they'd come from, leaving Sofia to scoop up his forgotten robe and scramble after him.


	2. Pride

Two days had passed since Merlin rejected Sofia's request, and despite Cedric's comments about her persistence, Sofia was coming up blank on how to accomplish her goal without the help of the elderly sorcerer. She threw herself back into her studies in the unlikely hope that Merlin might change his mind if she improved, though she had no idea when she might regain the nerve to approach him again.

"Sofia, we should go over the details of your ball one more time", Cedric insisted as he entered the workshop.

Sofia gave a distracted 'hmm?' as she double checked the ingredients for the potion he'd assigned her.

"Your ball... The one you spent the last eleven months practically begging me for?" Cedric reminded her impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor.

Sofia glanced up at him quickly and nodded. "Of course, what do you need to know?" She smiled brightly, giving Cedric her full attention.

"Well... I have your father's incredibly reluctant permission, the invitations are ready to go out, and the kitchen has the menu prepared. We still need to decide on a theme, inform the royal decorators, and prepare a spell for you to perform", he listed off everything he could think of, frowning in concentration and hoping there wasn't anything he'd missed.

"It's in October, maybe the theme could be Samhain?" she ventured, watching her mentor for a reaction.

Cedric nodded stiffly. "That's not a bad idea", he mused, already considering the options for such an event. "We could have a Samhain feast, and ask everyone to come in disguise... We'd have to redo the menu and the invitations, though", he spoke as much to himself as to the princess, marching across the room to his desk so he could jot down the ideas as they came to him.

"And we could have a bonfire outside after dark!" Sofia exclaimed, hurrying to stand beside him as they planned.

"Yes, I think that would be just the thing", he agreed, adding it to the growing list.

They shared a smile, then went on brainstorming until a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in!" Cedric growled as he rolled his eyes, already knowing who was on the other side and what he'd come for.

"The princess is expected for dinner", Baileywick informed them as he entered the tower, watching the pair exchange glances, Sofia's one of surprise and Cedric's full of annoyance.

"Is it so late already?" Sofia enquired in bewilderment.

"It is", Baileywick answered curtly, gesturing towards the door.

Sofia waved goodbye to Cedric and left the tower with the steward in tow.

The sorcerer returned to planning for the upcoming event, head still swimming with possibilities.

...

"How are the preparations coming along Sofia?" Miranda asked as her youngest daughter sat down at the table.

"Good. We decided on a theme today, so now all I have to do is pick my big spell", Sofia bubbled, eyeing her dinner eagerly as her stomach gave an answering growl.

"Do you have any ideas, yet?" Roland asked, surprising Sofia with his interest.

"No, and it has to be something really amazing!" Sofia answered with a slight frown.

She'd been wracking her brain for inspiration, but none had come, yet. She excelled at healing magic more than anything else, and there was no fancy way to show off this particular skill.

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Sof", James chimed in, reaching over to give his sister's hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Thanks, James." Sofia said, giving her brother a smile.

"I still don't understand why Sofia gets a ball. It's not like she's a real sorceress", Amber jumped into the conversation, making no attempts to mask her annoyance.

"Amber, we've been over this. Your sister has worked very hard learning magic for the last two years, and Cedric thinks it would be a good idea to give her a proper sorceress ball", Miranda scolded the eldest princess, not interested in entertaining yet another discussion about how unfair it was that Amber's ball was only a birthday celebration, and one she had to share, at that.

The rest of the family chatted away while Sofia lost herself in thoughts of what spell she would choose. It had to be something really special. She ate her dinner quietly, and asked to be excused as soon as she was finished.

Running back up to the tower, she forgot her manners and burst through the door without knocking.

"What are you thinking, Sofia?" Cedric demanded, jumping up from his spot at the table and marching away from her to grab his discarded robe. Sofia took another chance to examine his inky black tattoos before he covered them, thinking again about how great his power must truly be to require such measures.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to talk to you", she mumbled, avoiding her mentor's gaze as he faced her again.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait until morning?" he asked, his tone still containing a hint of steel.

"I don't have a spell. There's nothing I can do that looks impressive. How can I possibly demonstrate my magic?" she spilt her doubts as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"Is that what you're worried about?" He sighed and shook his head, gesturing for Sofia to have a seat at the table.

She sniffled and sat down.

Cedric rubbed his face, peering at the princess over his fingertips. "Sofia, you're very talented. Yes, you don't have a spell yet, but when you choose one, I know it's going to be great", he offered his reassurance, trying in vain to make Sofia feel better.

"What was your spell?" she questioned.

Cedric hesitated, scowling at the memory. After a long silence, he finally answered. "I did my transportation spell", he mumbled, examining his fingers intently to avoid looking at the girl in front of him.

"See, now that's impressive", Sofia told him, gazing at the sorcerer with admiration.

"I materialised on the railing of the balcony. Lost my balance, nearly broke my neck falling, but my father levitated me at the last minute", he admitted, his cheeks burning as Sofia's jaw dropped.

"That's awful! I'm so sorry that happened", Sofia replied, at a loss for anything better to say.

Cedric nodded and stood to usher her out. "Yes, well, storytime is over, Sofia. Time for you to run along to bed", he insisted.

"Goodnight, Mr Cedric", she bid him farewell, and exited the tower.

"Goodnight, Sofia", he returned the words, closing the door behind the princess.

...

"Sofia, I'm going out for a while. Will you be alright while I'm gone?"

Sofia lifted her gaze from the book she was pouring over to meet her mentor's eyes. "Of course, I'll just be here reading", she reassured him with a smile, shifting her legs in the large tufted armchair in an attempt to wake her left foot.

Cedric hesitated in the doorway.

"You're sure? I could conjure you some lunch or something before I go..." he offered, wondering if he was letting her sit and read the dusty old magic books for too long.

She nodded and let out a small "mhmm", clearly already absorbed back into the page.

"I'm travelling by three-headed dragon to the Mystic Isles. I need to fight a whole army of evil undead knights by myself." He waited for a reaction as she licked her thumb and turned the page.

"That sounds like fun", Sofia muttered distractedly.

Cedric let out a groan as he marched over and unceremoniously plucked the tome from her hands, eliciting a noise of protest from the young girl.

"I was reading that", she complained, reaching for the book he held out of her grasp.

"You've been going through these all day, every day for an entire week. I wouldn't be surprised if you've seen every book in the tower", he replied.

For emphasis, he gestured his arm towards several large stacks she'd left out around the room.

"I'll clean those up, I promise", she chirped out quickly, genuinely sorry for being the one to mess up his tower for a change.

Cedric bent down and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's not about the mess, Sofia. You need to do something else. Go spend time with your friends, take a walk through the gardens, brew some familiar potions... literally anything but read one more book", he told her gently.

She blinked up at him in confusion. "I still don't have my spell, yet, and there's only one week left." She countered, sure she just needed to study harder.

"You're overthinking it. You need some fresh air, some distraction. Stop searching for the spell, and it will find you", he explained, coaxing her out of the chair.

Sofia pondered his words, recognising the truth to them. She was overthinking a great many things lately.

Her spell, Merlin's refusal to help her, whether she was adequate at magic enough to warrant the ball she'd so desperately wanted, and even the reason she'd desired the ball so badly in the first place.

And all of it, everything that was constantly weighing on her thoughts, it all traced back to a single source: the sorcerer currently pulling her out of his overstuffed armchair and insisting that she go clear her head elsewhere.

If his apprentice could become talented enough to earn her own sorceress ball, if she could wow all in attendance, both magical and not, with her big spell, it would be momentous for him. Everyone would finally recognise him for the great sorcerer and teacher that he was. Maybe, just maybe, he might even see it himself.

Oh, but if anything went wrong... She tried not to linger on the thoughts of how that would reflect on him, and on how he would internalise her failure, considering it to be his own and adding it to an ever growing list of things he loathed about himself, a list she wanted to abolish, not lengthen.

"You're right. I guess I could use some fresh air." Sofia forced herself to smile at him, and he seemed to relax. She reached out and retrieved the book. "Right after I finish the section on weather spells", she added, flopping back into her seat.

"Sofia..." His voice was low and full of warning, and this time her grin was sincere.

"I only have two left, and then I'll go outside. I promise." She placed her hand on her heart to show him that she swore it.

He lingered a moment longer, giving her the distinct impression that he wanted to say something else. Once, he even opened his mouth, but he promptly shut it again.

"Remember to lock up when you leave." He finally mumbled before exiting the room.

...

Cedric tugged the wooden door closed behind him, then leaned against the cool grey stone of the landing, his eyes shut, and let out a deep breath.

I'm proud of you. It was such a simple thing to say, just four little words, and yet so very loaded. He was proud of her perseverance, her drive, her stubborn refusal to admit defeat no matter the obstacle presented to her.

It wasn't a mere platitude; it was true, tangible. He felt it in every fibre of his being as he watched her throw herself into her studies, determined to excel at all cost.

He had once mistaken her for a dilettante, a child seeking only to play at magic for a while then move on to the next intriguing thing once she realised how much actual work was involved. He hadn't known her very well, then, or he would have known much better than to suspect such a thing. When Sofia set her sights on something, she would get it, no matter how difficult.

Yet as he stood there, watching Sofia throw herself at this current problem, unwilling to accept defeat as an option, the words tumbled through his brain, but his mouth simply refused to form them.

It probably wouldn't mean much to her... What use did a girl who was adored by all have for the admiration of a second-rate old sorcerer, honestly? But it meant a great deal to him, and he trudged down the stairs cursing himself for leaving the words unsaid.


	3. Understanding

**Author's note:** So this has been on my phone since pre-hiatus. But... I wasn't happy with it before, and rereading it, I was right to wait. So today, I rewrote the first half from scratch and did a good deal of cleaning up on the second half. I also found a better place to end the chapter. Hope you guys enjoy, and fingers crossed that this gets me over my block with this story. It did wind up a little shorter than other chapters, but at least it's up.

* * *

Try not to think about it. 'Stop searching for the spell, and it will find you.'

Cedric's words tumbled repeatedly through her mind as Sofia followed the winding, labyrinthine paths of the gardens, doing her best to heed her mentor, but finding it all but impossible to clear her head. Two separate issues warred for her attention, and it seemed neither one was willing to let her weary thoughts rest for even a single instant.

She came at last to her 'secret' garden –though its location hadn't actually been a secret for some time – and giggled despite her woes at the memory of Cedric, his face drawn and sour, with a yellow ribbon tied round his shaggy hair.

Amber had spent weeks after the tea party harassing her for details on exactly how Sofia had managed to talk him into being a participant - no matter how reluctantly - in her ribbon hunt, but the truth was that she hardly knew why he agreed, either. I was so happy that he did, though it would have been nice if he stayed for the whole thing.

The diversion, though nice, passed quickly, and Sofia was left to face her problems once again. With a light sigh, she pushed open the gate and trudged inside, dropping down into the dried grass in the centre. where so many happy picnics had been held in the last two years. If it was possible for her to find peace anywhere, Sofia knew that this would be the spot.

She laid on her back, hands folded beneath her head, and watched the fluffy white clouds float overhead as the late afternoon sun fought a valiant battle against the crisp autumn chill carried on the breeze.

The trees above were painted in the brilliant golden and ruddy hues of early October's palette, colours Sofia adored almost as much as the signature lilac of her gowns and various accessories.

'Sofia purple', Cedric had referred to it once, and the girl grinned widely at this memory of her friend, too.

To others, he may seem ornery and unapproachable, but to her his good qualities had always shone above all else.

The fall tones of the foliage blurred together as her eyes slowly drifted closed, lulled to slumber by the siren song of the few persistent cicadas who still occupied the palace grounds.

Magical applications of cicada shells include... transformation spells... excepting glamours... communication spells... and...

Sofia burst into the tower, so preoccupied with the jar she held, and the chance to present it to the royal sorcerer, that she'd quite forgotten the rule about always knocking to make her presence known. Cedric sat hunched over at his desk, glancing up from his book only long enough to quirk an eyebrow at her misstep before returning to his reading.

Sofia bowed apologetically, but with her enthusiasm unhindered by his cold shoulder routine she continued to his side, holding her collection up for him to inspect.

'Cicada shells', she announced, answering a question he hadn't yet asked, shaking the jar for emphasis as she beamed down at him with pride. 'I gathered them myself. From the secret garden.'

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Cedric's mouth, but he gestured for her to place the jar on his desk without a single word, then waved her away to the worktable.

Already prepared for her was the day's assignment, though it was unlike any she'd ever seen before. A handful of metal screws littered the table, beside them a block of smooth, blond wood. Confused, she chanced a peek behind her, only to find Cedric still engrossed in his work. She frowned back at the assortment on the table, wondering exactly what she was meant to accomplish.

'You're going to get all of those screws into that piece of wood by the time your lesson is finished', he instructed, still not bothering to properly address her.

It seemed such a strange task that she wondered if he weren't secretly cross with her about something, though no recent transgressions stood out in her memory. She hadn't even been late to a lesson in weeks.

With a sigh, she concluded that it would be prudent to do as he asked, so she rolled her wrist to make her wand appear, as he had taught her. The instrument blinked into and then out of her waiting palm, increasing Sofia's confusion.

'Use your hands.' His voice was chastising, and when she braved another glance over her shoulder at him, she saw that he was now idly twirling her wand in his left hand.

Sofia furrowed her brow, but sensed that her mentor was in no mood to be questioned, so she approached the table, lifted a screw, and began to twist it into the block, thankful that the wood was at least soft, making her task slightly easier than she'd imagined it would be.

She was distinctly aware of his eyes on her back, but she ignored the sensation and continued until the first piece of metal was sunk in, though her fingers ached from the task.

'Stop.' Cedric's stern voice rang out through the tower, and Sofia spun around to face him, feeling a muddled blend of emotions, none of them positive, and every last one aimed at the sorcerer in front of her.

'I'm doing as you told me!' she snapped, her frustration deepening as he smirked in her direction.

'Are you? I merely told you to get the screws into the wood, did I not? Why are you upset, princess?' Cedric asked, a strange emphasis on her title, as though it were a definition of her character, an idea she'd been fighting since the day she came to the palace.

Cedric hadn't called her princess since their second Wassaila together, many months ago, and for reasons she couldn't comprehend, the word stung coming from him.

'I don't understand the assignment. If you don't want me to do it magically, you could at least have given me a screwdriver', Sofia fumed, crossing her arms defiantly as she glared at him, convinced now that she was being punished for something and wishing he would just tell her what she'd done wrong already.

'Define 'screwdriver' for me.' His attention appeared to be on the book again, but she could see that he was watching her from the corners of his dark eyes, merely pretending to be ignoring her.

'It's a tool that does exactly what you want me to do!' Her cheeks were burning with anger now, something she was unaccustomed to feeling this strongly.

He dropped the spell book on the desk with a thud and shifted the chair so it rolled across the room, coming to a stop in front of her. 'And were you able to do the job without one, Sofia?' The smirk was gone now, and he stared at her intently as he took her sore fingers between his gloved hands, blowing on them gently to ease the sting.

'Yes, but-' Back to confused now.

He was leading her somewhere, ever the unorthodox teacher, and he seemed to be satisfied with her answers so far, but she still wasn't sure she was following his odd train of thought.

'Where does your magic come from? When you're not using it, where does it wait to be called?' Cedric asked, standing and holding her wand in front of her face.

Sofia pondered the question, realising with surprise that she'd never actually stopped to consider it before.

'If you don't know the answer, then you've learnt everything I can teach you.'

With a wave of his unoccupied hand, his tower door was opened, a clear sign that she was being dismissed.

Sofia's mouth dropped, and she searched for the answer even more frantically, wanting desperately to please her mentor. 'From me. My magic comes from inside me.' She spat out the revelation as quickly as it entered her mind.

His smile, a real, lopsided, genuine smile told her she'd answered him correctly, and across the room the door swung shut.

'Now, what is your wand? What are those fancy words you chant while you wave it?' Cedric questioned, and suddenly this strange lesson made perfect sense.

'Tools that help you do a job.' She replied confidently, squaring her shoulders and staring directly into his enigmatic amber eyes.

'Too many sorcerers forget that their wand is merely a tool. They neither know nor care where their magic comes from. Now, Sofia, use your hands.' He grabbed her shoulders and turned her back toward the worktable.

Sofia wanted to tell him she couldn't, that wandless magic was not a skill she possessed, that she'd never even witnessed anyone but him perform such a feat. She wanted to argue, but he looked so sure, so confident in his pupil, that the protests died in her throat.

Cedric believed she could, and that was enough.

Sofia's eyes shot open, and she pushed herself upright, her heart pounding as the images of her subconscious faded back into the recesses of her psyche. It may have taken her an entire month to complete that assignment, but she had done so, and the memory emboldened her.

My magic comes from within me. She chanted in her head, drowning out all other thoughts.

She closed her eyes and searched within herself for the answers to questions not fully formed. The air warmed, and she heard voices, alerting her that she was no longer alone.


	4. Encouragement

**Author's note:** I know this is a little short, but it was the best place to cut the chapter. This is the first completely new chapter to go up since before hiatus, the idea came to me just yesterday, and it really help to set up some later events that were giving me trouble. Hope everyone enjoy!

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Somewhere outside the secret garden, children shrieked with delight as they ran and played on the winding paths, their voices carrying on the warm afternoon breeze.

The treetops, only seconds ago showing off their brilliant autumnal hues, were now coloured in spring greens. The bluebells, too, suggested the approach of Beltane, rather than Samhain.

I've never seen bluebells in the garden before, Sofia mused, approaching one of the flowers curiously. They're poisonous, but used in salves for healing, and can ward off nightmares when sewn into pillows, she recited to herself as she bent to smell them, closing her eyes as she inhaled the delicate fragrance.

"This way, Ceddy!"

Sofia's eyes shot open, recognising both the girl's voice and the name it called out. She watched the gate fly open and a brunette who looked to be seven or eight run through it, followed closely by a younger boy - abecedarian age, if Sofia had to guess - with shaggy ebony hair, the fringe as dark as all the rest.

Scrambling to her feet, she waved her arms to catch their attention as they hurried past. "Miss Cordelia, Mr Cedric!" Sofia cried out, but they paid her no mind. They can't see or hear me, just like with the looking back glass, she reasoned.

"See, I told you they were here." Cordelia beamed proudly, glancing over her shoulder at her little brother.

Cedric took a halting step toward the row of blooms, shaking his head slowly. "We shouldn't disturb them. Father said–"

"Oh, please. You want to be rid of the dreams, don't you?"

He chewed his lip, but nodded reluctantly.

"Then this is how we do it. Help me dig, Ceddy."

She set to burying her fingers in the damp, dark earth, uprooting a flower at a time, when Cedric let out a small sigh.

"Let me do it." With a wave of Cedric's bare hand, a basket appeared on the grass beside his sister, and the bluebells seemed to jump into the container of their own accord as both Sofia and Cordelia watched in breathless wonder. "There, is that enough?"

Cordelia grinned at him, bobbing her head as she stood to shake the dirt from her gown.

"That's perfect. Let's get them to the workshop quick, before mum and dad get home."

Cordelia retrieved the basket and the children hurried off together, leaving Sofia to stare at the remaining bluebells, pondering the scene she'd witnessed.

Deciding she wasn't prepared to leave without any answers, Sofia turned and ran after them, easily keeping up thanks to her keen knowledge of the paths between the secret garden and the sorcerer's tower.

"What now, Cordy?" Cedric questioned, shadowing his sister's footsteps like a baby duckling, a comparison that made Sofia giggle. They really were close. He's so cute! Her mentor would have her writing lines for a month if he knew she'd entertained such a thought, even if the version in front of her couldn't have been a day over six years old.

They were searching for something, unsuccessfully, and Cordelia stopped to frown down at her little brother. "I know, we'll make it into a tea. You can handle that without a wand, I've seen you."

"No!" Sofia cried, forgetting for a moment that she had no power to intervene in what she was seeing.

"I don't think we'd better", Cedric faltered again, blinking down at his feet.

"I told you, father is just being strict. I overheard mum say bluebells will cure you, so let's cure you."

Impatiently, Cordelia waved Cedric over to a small cauldron, where he used his wandless magic to stoke a fire. The cauldron filled with water, which bubbled and boiled to life instantly.

Cordelia threw the flowers, stems and all, into the water and stood back, wrapping an arm around Cedric as they waited for the 'curative' to brew.

Please tell me Mr Goodwyn comes in and stops them. Or Miss Winifred. Sofia turned nervous eyes to the door, willing it to burst open, but everything about the room stayed eerily still save for the water in the cauldron.

When the potion finished, Cordelia ladled some into a cup, handing the steaming beverage to her brother.

I don't want to watch this.

Sofia silently pleaded with the boy to trust his instincts, to run as far away as he could from the drink he was now lifting to his mouth, but it was no use. As soon as the first sip passed his lips, he wavered, fainting onto the stone floor.

"Ceddy!" Cordelia shrieked, watching in horror. At breakneck speed she fled the tower, leaving her brother to convulse in the workshop alone.

Sofia sank to her knees beside him, ghosting her hands across the dark silk of his hair.

"It's okay. You're going to be fine." It no longer mattered if he could hear her or not. She needed to utter these reassurances, as much for herself as for the fragile child beside her. "You can't die, because you grow up to be the greatest sorcerer in the world."

"Cedric!" The gruff voice of his father echoed throughout the tower as he rushed toward his son.

He tore the little boy's buttoned shirt open, pressing two fingers against his neck. His sigh of relief reverberated through Sofia, who hadn't realised she'd been holding her own breath since Cedric stilled beneath her palm, eyes rolled back into his head.

She blinked, wondering at the few tears that trailed down her cheeks, as Goodwyn shook the boy awake.

"Goody?"

Sofia didn't know how long Winifred had been standing behind her, but she desperately wanted to hug the distraught mother and promise her that her son would survive.

"We must get him to Merlin." Goodwyn stated firmly, lifting Cedric off the floor.

Sofia stood, too, walking a few paces behind the family as they crossed the room.

At the door, Cedric flailed, nearly knocking himself free of his father's strong arms. "No!" he screamed, reaching a hand towards Sofia.

Can he... see me? Before she had a chance to test the theory, he collapsed again, spurring his father to rush away with even greater haste than before.

I must get to Merlin's, Sofia decided.

She returned to the tower window to watch in dismay as the flying coach took flight. Oh, how she wished that she'd tried harder to persuade the grown Cedric to teach her his transportation spell, but wishing did her little good at the moment. How will I ever get there in time?

In time... An idea struck her, and she sought out the closest spot she liked to go when she needed to relax: Cedric's library.

Inside, she found his arm chair, familiar and inviting, albeit far less worse for wear. Curling up, she took deep, cleansing breaths, knowing all the inner magic in the world would be useless if she couldn't calm her restless worries. She closed her eyes, quieted her thoughts, and focused on a single word: home.

She wasn't certain, at first, if the spell had been successful. The library hadn't changed much since Cedric was a child. A glance down at the worn burgundy velvet of the tufted chair beneath her reassured her that she was back, but just to be sure, she waved a hand at the fireplace, muttering the words "Lux a flamma". Unlike the wordless spell of a much younger Cedric, which had conjured a rather impressive flame, lazy tufts of smoke wafted up from the logs. She rolled her eyes at the spell's ineffectiveness, but decided it was proof enough that she was once again corporeal.

"Try it again", a low baritone instructed from her left-hand side, and she swivelled her neck to see Cedric – her Cedric – leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.

He jerked his head in the direction of the fire, an unnecessary explanation of his statement. "Without the words, this time."

Sofia opened her mouth to argue that if the spell hadn't worked the first time, it was even less likely to do so sans the use of incantation, but thought better of it at the last moment.

Returning her attention to the logs, she attempted once more to light them, earning no greater results than the first time.

"Use a firmer hand. You're not asking the fire to come, you are commanding it", he prodded, stepping into the room to afford himself a better view of her technique, or lack thereof.

This time a few small flames licked languidly at the logs, and Cedric plopped down beside her.

"I did it", Sofia breathed, happily glancing down at her hand.

With a smirk, Cedric peeled the glove from his right hand, easily igniting a roaring fire with just a slight twitch.

Sofia gave in to the urge to childishly stick her to tongue out in his direction. "Nobody likes a show-off, Mr Cedric."

"It was a decent first try", he assured her, tugging the fabric trapping back over his fingers. "Fire spells tend to be trickier than others."

Sofia recognised the words for what they were, as close to high praise as one could reasonably expect from the sorcerer.


End file.
